But Manchester council leader Sir Richard Leese said Salford’s congestion is not Manchester's fault – and added the changes were drawn up jointly. In future, some Manchester trams are to be re-routed down Princess Street and along Cross Street to Victoria station.

Separate plans would see Manchester council ban traffic from St Peter’s square.

Coun Jones said: “From the west it will be well nigh-on impossible in three years’ time to get through Manchester city centre in the way you have for many years.

“What I want is that we face up to that, but what Manchester council seems to want is to just wait until it emerges.”

Salford’s roads have been plagued by traffic jams for years, with Chapel Street and Regent Road particular blackspots.

Coun Jones warned that without action, Salford jams could reach the scale seen in some South American cities, where motorists sit in traffic for hours at a time.

He added: “What I’m saying is that trams will radically change things whether Manchester council wants it or not.”

He said a public debate is now needed on how to ease congestion.

Coun Leese admitted the new tramlines would mean ‘significant changes’. But he added: “They are being planned in such a way to make sure all of those who need or want to access the city centre can do from whichever direction they are coming.

“Existing problems on Regent Road have been significantly exacerbated by the contraction of the A6 going through Salford.

“If motorists can get through Salford to the inner relief road we will have no problem in getting them to their destination in the city centre.”